Attention: From Confusion to

Control

The Role of Attention in a

Neuro-developmental Model of

Assessment and Interventions

Agenda

Housekeeping

Introduction of Rudolf Stockling

Presentation

Discussion

Introduction of Rudolf Stockling

EDUCATION / MEMBERSHIP MSc (Psych) Wollongong Member Australian Psychological Society (APS) Registered Psychologist NSW Australia

EXPERIENCE Secondary Teacher (4 Years) Educational Psychologist (12 Years) Psychologist in Private Practice (8 Years) Director of Assessment Lexicon Reading Centre Dubai

(at present), www.lexiconreadingcenter.org

The Neuro-developmental Model of Learning

Attention Control Systems

MENTAL ENERGY

PROCESSING

PRODUCTION

MENTAL ENERGY

A. Alertness

B. Sleep and arousal balance

C. Mental effort

D. Performance consistency

A. Alertness Regulates the flow of energy Prevents mental fatigue

Look Out for:At home: Difficulty finishing homework Can’t sit still on car trips, at the table, etc.

In school: Yawns Fidgets Contorts the body

B. Sleep and arousal balance Brain’s ability to promote sleep Regulates appropriate alertness during day

Look Out for:At home: Resists going to bed Cannot fall asleep at a regular time; Hard time getting up in the morning

In school: Does not really wake up until late morning; Yawns, Stretches Tired during class

C. Mental effort Supplies the energy required for a student to start,

work on, and complete a task

Look Out for:

At home: Requires heavy prodding to do homework or study

for tests; have to “light a fire” under him to do chores

In school: Late starting work Puts off tasks that are particularly hard or

unappealing

D. Performance consistency

Ensures a steady, reliable flow of energy from moment to moment and day to day

Look Out for:At home: Energy level and interest in tasks are

unpredictable

In school: Inconsistent School work quality and amount

Strategies: Mental Energy

1. Praise attention efforts.

2. Encourage physical activity.

3. Give advance notice.

4. Break up studying time into chunks.

5. Recommend a bedtime routine.

6. Provide breaks with physical activity

Strategies: Mental Energy cont.

6. Help to get started on homework.

7. Identify high mental effort periods.

8. Monitor performance inconsistencies.

9. Use a dry-erase board to organize

homework time.

PROCESSING CONTROLS

A. Saliency determination

B. Depth and detail of processing

C. Cognitive activation

D. Focal maintenance

E. Satisfaction level

A. Saliency determination

• Selects important information for use and puts unimportant information aside

Look Out for:At home When given a list of chores, cannot distinguish which

are more important than others may have a hard time making a decision when

presented with many options

In school Distracted by sights, sounds, or events happening

close- by; Takes detailed notes, without prioritizing

B. Depth and detail of processing

• Controls how deeply students concentrate on details in order to capture the information

Look Out for:

At home: Has to be told directions or information several times

before it “sinks in”

In school: Misses critical details, like operational signs in math

or punctuation in writing

C. Cognitive activation Triggers prior knowledge and experience learning new

information

Look Out for:At home:

Unengaged and disconnected (cognitive underactivation) or

Bounce around seemingly random topics (overactivation)

In school:

Disengaged from classroom discussions or

Disrupts discussion with irrelevant ideas

D. Focal maintenance• Allows a student to focus for the right amount

of time on important informationLook Out for:

At home Jumps from activity to activity without

finishing; may overuse the TV remote In school Stops focusing in the middle of an activity; Is not prepared when class begins a new

subject

E. Satisfaction level

• Controls how deeply students concentrate on details in order to capture the information

Look Out for:At home Only concentrates on things of interest Exhibits an extreme hunger for material

possessions (the “latest” thing)

In school Disrupts other students when bored; does not focus in class unless interested in the

topic

Strategies: Processing

1. Teach scanning or skimming techniques

2. Draw focus to important information.

3. Provide a clear ruler to help your child keep her

place while reading.

4. Use sub vocalization.

5. Connect new information to prior knowledge.

Strategies: Processing cont.

6. Make new information relevant.

7. Encourage eye contact and repetition.

8. Teach your child to prioritize.

9. Teach and model internal standards.

10. Use internal dialogue, or self-talk,

11. Reflect on successes.

12. Cue children to upcoming transitions .

PRODUCTION CONTROLS

A. Previewing

B. Facilitation and inhibition

C. Pacing

D. Self-monitoring

E. Reinforceability

A. Previewing Consider more than one action or response Anticipate the outcome of a choice

Look Out for:At home: Trouble thinking through the possible consequences

of her actions, even when prompted by parents

In school: Does not use outlines to plan a paper or project Difficulty estimating answers to math problems Difficulty in predicting events in or endings to stories

B. Facilitation and inhibition Exercise restraint and not act immediately Consider various options Choose best response or strategy in a situation

Look Out for:At home Does the first thing that comes to mind without

considering possibilities; can’t resist temptation (e.g. sneaking treats before

meal)

In school: Blurts out responses in class discussion Says whatever is on his mind

C. Pacing Adjusts the rate to complete a task; Enables production at appropriate rate

Look Out for:At home Rushes through homework Trouble allotting enough time

In school Does poorly on timed tests Still completing assignments when others are done Finishes tasks far too quickly resulting in errors

D. Self-monitoring

• Allows to evaluate continuous performance• Allows to evaluate completion a task

Look Out for:At home: Does not check his work, Leaving chores unfinished or poorly done

In school: Trouble editing his own work; Doesn’t “get it“ when behaviour is bothering others

E. Reinforceability

• Helps to respond or act on prior experience

Look Out for:

At home • Gets into trouble over the same problem despite past

interventions or consequences

In school Keeps making the same mistakes despite tutoring or

re-teaching Insensitive to punishment and reward

Strategies: Production

1. Engage in “what if” exercises in various

academic, behavioural, and social situations.

2. Build in planning time

3. Model planning techniques for your child by

‘thinking aloud’ while performing a task.

4. Use stepwise approaches.

Strategies: Production cont.

5. Stress the importance of organization.

6. Encourage self-grading.

7. Provide consistent feedback.

8. Create a visual reminder to “hold that thought.”

9. Discuss the lesson or assignment.

Strategies: Basics

General Tips

Home, School and Clinic Collaboration

Involving Children

Strategies: General Tips

Decide which strategies to try

Limit yourself to 1-3 strategies to try first.

If the first few strategies not improve the

child's skills, try others.

Adapt strategies for use with your child’s

age groups

Home, School and Clinic Collaboration

Share observations about your child's strengths and

weaknesses

Discuss where the breakdown is occurring

Share information on issues in other areas

Attention issues often masks other learning issues

Identify your child's strengths and interests

Discuss possible strategies

Acknowledge your emotional reactions

Discuss appropriate next steps

Home, School and Clinic Collaboration, contd

Involving Children

Attention skills are important to succeed with school

work, control behaviour and relate well to others.

Some children give up and see themselves as failures

Others exhibit behaviour problems related to attention.

What to do:

Open non-judgemental discussion of learning profile

Explain that everyone has strengths and

weaknesses.

Create a shared sense of optimism

Explain that learning problems can be managed

Work toward a common realistic goal

Involving Children, contd

Resources: Professional Organizations

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: http://www.aacap.org

Information and Pamphlets

American Academy of Pediatrics: http://www.aap.org Information for parents of children from birth through age 21.

American Psychological Association: http://www.apa.org

The professional organization of psychologists in the USA

Resources: Websites All Kinds of Minds: http://www.allkindsofminds.org

Provides resources to help parents, educators, and clinicians

Learning Disabilities Association of America: http://ldaamerica.org

Provides information on understanding learning disabilities

National Center for Learning Disabilities: http://www.ncld.org

Information about learning, early literacy and learning resources

LD Online http://www.ldonline.org

Learning Disabilities and ADHD Information

CHADD http://www.chadd.org

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

References• Brown, Thomas E. Attention Deficit Disorder: The

Unfocused Mind in Children and Adults.: Yale University Press 2005

• Levine, Melvin D. All Kinds of Minds. Cambridge, Mass.: Educators Publishing Service, 1997.

• Website: www.allkindsofminds.org

• Website: www.DrThomasEBrown.com

Thanks